Report: Iron U23s 1-6 Doncaster Rovers U23s

Adam Hammill was on target as a very youthful Iron Under-23s side were defeated by Doncaster Rovers at Cantley Park.

There were no chances for either side in the opening exchanges, although Rovers did win an early corner which was well dealt with by Harry Baker.

On nine minutes, Rovers had the ball in the net as it was played into the area on the left side, with the ball rolled beyond Adam Kelsey into the corner. The goal was chalked off for offside.

With 12 minutes played, the hosts worked the ball down the left channel and looked to go near post with a low cross into the area. Kelsey read it and comfortably gathered.

Two minutes later, Raynner Silva closed down a Rovers midfielder to force a mistake and win possession. He teed up Reon Potts, who controlled from range and forced the ‘keeper to push over the bar.

Not long after, Rovers dealt with the ball in the box and quickly they countered. A curling left-footed effort was pushed away by Kelsey, but the ball was kept in play and crossed from the left, with the header powered into the net to give them a 1-0 lead.

Soon after, a big penalty shout for Rovers was turned down, as the forward took a tumble in the box. However, a goal kick given.

With 18 minutes played, a long range effort from the hosts flew wide of the target as Rovers worked space 25-yards from goal.

Two minutes later, Doncaster switched the ball across the area from right to left. The ball was met at the far post with a low drive, which was straight at Kelsey, with the Iron ‘keeper saving well.

Then, there was a neat passage of play from the Iron involving Potts which saw the ball played into Hammill. He drove down the right before floating in a cross, searching for Harry Jessop, but Rovers headed away.

With 26 minutes played, Rovers almost get a second, with a dinked ball into the area seemingly controlled with a hand. The square ball was inviting, but the Iron did just enough to put off the forward.

On 28 minutes, there was a goal disallowed for the Iron as Cameron Wilson rolled the ball across the area for Jessop, who prodded home from close range, but he was flagged offside.

Just past the half hour mark, Rovers doubled their lead. A cross came in from the right side, with a volley nestling into the roof of the net from ten yards out.

Then there was a third for Doncaster. The ball, following a cross from the left, wasn’t cleared. It came to the edge of the box, with a rifled shot cannoning off the bar into the path of a Rovers player to slot in.

Hammill pulled one back straight from the kick-off on 35 minutes, as he chose to shoot from the restart, catching the ‘keeper off guard, with the ball nestling in the net.

With 41 minutes gone, Rovers won a debatable free-kick on the right side as Baker was penalised for handball. The free-kick was fizzed towards the near post, with Kelsey beating the ball way for a corner.

Two minutes before the break, Joey Dawson stole in in midfield to win the ball before cushioning the ball to Hammill. The ball in behind almost found Jessop, but it ran through to the ‘keeper.

During first half stoppage time, a Rovers forward danced his way into the area before firing a shot goalwards which was tipped over by Kelsey.

After 47 minutes, Rovers almost reestablished their three-goal lead with a stinging long range shot which cannoned off the bar and out of play.

Then, the hosts almost got in on goal, following a dispossession, but Kelsey emerged from his goal to close the angle and gain the ball.

With 50 played, Barks came in with a brilliant tackle inside the box, but Rovers gained the loose ball and smashed a low cross across the face of goal.

There was then fantastic defending from the Iron as a block came in, as a shot from point blank range looked to be heading in.

Two minutes later, Barks read a throughball before finding Wilson down the right. He slipped the ball into Hammill who looked to feed Potts through, but Rovers defended well.

Around the hour mark, Kelsey popped up with a superb save from point blank range as a right-winged cross came across to the number 11, with the header saved well.

A fourth goal came for Rovers on 62 minutes as the ball was squared to the edge of the box from the right. The scorer took one touch before planting a left-footed effort beyond Kelsey into the top corner.

Soon after, Kelsey made a fine save down to his left. The rebound came to another Rovers player, but that effort was blocked by Oliver Kemp and out for a corner.

From a corner, Rovers added another, converting from the left-footed in-swinger to nod into the far corner of the net.

On 73 minutes, Silva fired wide for the Iron from 25 yards. Substitute Alex Wilkinson had cushioned the ball down for Jessop down the right before the ball was played across to him.

With 82 minutes played, there was a corner to the Iron as the ball was sliced behind following a left-winged cross. Baker was the one with the work down the left to fire in the cross.

Soon after, Kelsey got down low to his right to push the ball onto the post. Kemp threw himself in front of the rebound and Dawson and skipper Jo Cummings prevented a follow-up.

In the 87th minute, Rovers slotted in another as the ball was hooked over the top. The player advanced on goal and slotted home.